5 Jan 2012
Hebrews 10:4
Hebrews 10:4: “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”
Here Paul (assuming that Paul wrote Hebrews) is explaining how the sacrifice of Jesus is superior to the Old Testament sacrifices. In the Old Testament sacrifices had to be offered continually, but Jesus was offered just once. The reason for this is because “the blood of bulls and of goats” could not take away sins, but the sacrifice that Jesus made could – and did.
He goes on to point out that priests had to offer sacrifices on a daily basis, but Jesus made just one sacrifice and then sat down. (In the Old Testament priests did not sit down because their work was never done. As far as I know there were no chairs in the Temple.) This is why the Old Testament system is no longer practiced today: Jesus has put an end to it by offering Himself. The old sacrifices are simply no longer needed. As Paul says:
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Our sins have been completely forgiven, so no more offerings are necessary. Jesus paid it all. As He said on the cross, “It is finished.”